Captain/MVP Candidates
Aaron Rodgers
I will admit, when I first saw the huge price tag on Aaron Rodgers I did not think he was an option, but I don’t need to convince you on a guy with a track record like Rodgers. Last week we saw Rodgers playing without starting wideouts Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison, yet he still managed to put up 28.6 points and he is set-up for the same scenario tonight. Per PFF, the 49ers rank dead-last in the NFL in coverage, middle of the pack in pressure and second-worst in tackling. This defense shouldn’t be able to handle Rodgers, especially if they can’t get pressure on him and he could be in store for 400+ yards and 3 TDs.
C.J Beathard
On the other side of the ball, the 49ers are looking for their first win post-Garropolo and there would be no better place for attain that than on Monday Night Football. The Packers rank 12th overall in fantasy points allowed to opposing Quarterbacks this season, but they have given up a few big games to guys like Kirk Cousins (33.5 fantasy points). The offense is much worse than the Vikings, but getting a discounted QB is nice in the single game format. Quarterbacks typically provide the highest floor of any position and Beathard has an added floor given his rushing ability. Last year, he ran for a touchdown in 50% of his games and he has continued that trend in 2018.
Davante Adams
It looks like Rodgers will be without his other two starting wideouts once again tonight, setting up as an elite spot for Davante Adams. Last week against an underrated Bills secondary, Adams posted a 9-140-1 line despite being shadowed by stud CB Tre’Davious White. McCarthy likes to move him around the field, and we know that Richard Sherman doesn’t shadow so they will be able to get Adams away from him when they want to. Sherman has allowed just one catch all season on eight targets, and it’s easy for teams to just not throw his way given the drop-off in talent to their other DB’s.
Mid Tier
George Kittle
Beathard and Kittle have a great connection dating back to their time together at Iowa, and he makes for the top stacking partner with Beathard. He actually has more fantasy points than Rob Gronkowski this season, and he has seen 8 and 7 targets over the last two games.
Pierre Garçon
Last week he was sneakily Beathard’s favorite target, not George Kittle, and he saw 12 targets. There is so much value in fantasy to chase volume, and there is a very real chance that he sees another double-digit target night if they are losing, yet he might end up lower-owned than our friend Kittle.
Jimmy Graham
Graham saw 11 targets last week and should have another volume-driven role tonight with Cobb/Allison looking out. The 49ers have been good against tight ends in the past, but have struggled this season given some of their injuries and Graham’s chemistry with Rodgers should be increasing daily.
Aaron Jones
Jones is the best running back on the team ,but they have yet to treat him like it. Aaron Rodgers has actually came out and said multiple times that he wants him on the field, but they continue to split the work between him, Jamaal Williams and Ty Montgomery.There are some concerns with his pass blocking, but he actually currently is the best pass-blocker of the trio according to PFF albeit a small-sample size. We will see if the snap counts are there tonight, but at his price he makes for a solid GPP option.
Kickers and Defense
Packers D
If you are looking to play a defense in this game it’ll be the Packers, I wouldn’t even touch the 49ers unless you were running 30+ teams. Beathard has shown the tendency to turn the ball over, and defenses always seem to go a bit overlooked in this format.
Kickers
Kickers are always a viable cheap option, especially when there aren’t a ton of viable cheap skill position players and there is expected to be a lot of offense. The kicker I would lean more towards is Mason Crosby. I know he had a rough game last week, but he is a proven veteran who should be able to bounce back nicely in a matchup where the 49ers will have a hard time keeping the Packers off of their side of the field.
Cheap Tier
TY Montgomery
He’s more appealing to me on DraftKings given the full point PPR scoring. They line him up in the slot 2-3 times per game and it only takes one target like that to pay off in a single game format.
Jamaal Williams
These guys are the cheap version of Aaron Jones. They aren’t as good but the snaps are unfortunately there and we can’t ignore that. Jamaal has the most snaps out of all 3 every week so far.
Kendrick Bourne
This is a better play for DraftKings for the sole reason that Garcon is the same price as him on FD, but he is $4,000 less on DK. He is getting more snaps, routes and targets every game as he continues to progress with Pettis being hurt. Now with Taylor Doubtful for this game look for Bourne to be even more involved in the offense. I might end up having both Bourne and Garcon in my main FD lineup to be able to get up to Rodgers, If Taylor is inactive.
Ben Hossler’s Bold Call
What’s up guys! Each slate I will be dropping my bold call into Joey’s article and tonight I’m going to go with Marquez Valdes-Scantling goes over 100 yards receiving. Valdes-Scantling was a beast in the preseason, which is something anyone that reads my content knows I value higher than most, and in their last game without Cobb/Allison he saw 10 targets. He turned those targets into a 7-68-1 line, and he has to be earning Rodgers trust after that performance which is something that is so key to a guy who plays like Rodgers does. He’s an athletic freak, and I don’t think any DB, even *old* Richard Sherman, will be able to keep up with him tonight.
